LAKERS NOTEBOOK: Buss family denies they're selling team

The Lakers and the Buss family released a statement shooting down a published report suggesting they might sell the franchise to an outside group.

"We unanimously agree that we have no intention of ever selling the Lakers, and intend to keep ownership of the team in our family for generations to come," the statement read.

Jerry Buss, 78, has owned the Lakers since 1979, when he purchased the team along with the Forum, the NHL's Kings and a 13,000-acre ranch in Kern County for $67million from Jack Kent Cooke. Since then, the Lakers have become one of the sport's top franchises, winning 10 of their 16 NBA championships under Buss' watch.

In recent years, Buss has experienced declining health and has gradually ceded more control of the Lakers.

Buss' daughter, Jeanie, is the team's executive vice president of business operations, while Buss' son, Jim, is the team's executive vice president of player personnel. The Lakers were recently listed by Forbes Magazine as the second-most-valuable NBA team at $1billion, trailing the New York Knicks.

Not lacking effort

With the Lakers showing little sign they'll climb out of the Western Conference cellar, coach Mike D'Antoni conceded what many fans have thought about him in recent weeks.

"We're not where we need to be," D'Antoni said. "I'm the coach. I'm not doing what I need to do. But it's not a lack of effort from anybody. We're trying. We're trying to solve it."

Don't expect the Lakers to fire D'Antoni, however. When the Lakers fired Mike Brown following a 1-4 start, he had $10million left on his contract through the 2013-14 season. D'Antoni signed with the Lakers on a $12million deal that lasts through the 2014-15 season, with a team option the following year. Meanwhile, the Lakers already have a $100million payroll and an additional $30million in luxury taxes.

It sounds ridiculous to ask, considering the Lakers boast four future Hall of Famers in Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, but does D'Antoni believe he has the pieces needed to turn things around?

"Yeah, I do," he said. "That's the sad part. I think we do have enough."

D'Antoni conceded he hasn't convinced everyone to embrace their roles.

"It's a challenge," D'Antoni said. "There's no doubt about it, trying to get everybody on the same page."